


Wanderlust

by noviceficwriter



Series: Warriors: Winding Path [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Multi, Original setting, warriros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 20:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16071029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noviceficwriter/pseuds/noviceficwriter
Summary: Silt, a young she-cat living in an urban two-leg city, has lived her entire life knowing nothing but struggle, and conflict. The bands of city cats never cease their squabbles about overlapping territories that are ill-maintained, and countless threats such as rat mobs, dogs, raccoons, and coyotes worst of all, have caused high mortality rates the the past moons. In recent nights, Silt has had the same dream, one of a distant place she's never known, and cats she's never seen. Now dealing with these strange visions, along with the struggles of living in the concrete forest of the two-legs, she'll have to make some serious decisions, and find the path towards where her destiny truly lies. Whatever her decision, she won't be going it alone, as her friends' vow to follow her in her path, forever entwining their destinies.





	1. Allegiances + Prologue

**Allegiances**

_Crow Band;_

  * _Leader;_



**Slug** \- A large dusty brown tabby tom with dark, brown-amber eyes.

  * _Second;_



**Ivy** \- A long legged gray and white she-cat with green eyes.

  * _Fighters;_



**Roam** \- A reddish brown tabby tom with white paws and tailtip and medium length fur.

 **Mint** \- A long furred blue pointed she-cat with bright blue-green eyes, and white paws.

 **Shade** \- A skinny black tom with piercing yellow eyes.

  * _Queens;_



**Charmer** \- A small calico she-cat with pale amber eyes.

  * _Younglings;_



**Silt** \- A medium furred lilac point she-cat with pale blue eyes.

 **Racer** \- A large ginger tabby tom with dark amber eyes.

 **Leaf** \- A pale silver tabby tom with dark gray stripes, and yellow eyes.

 

_Snake Band;_

  * _Leader;_



**Scab** \- A battle worn ginger tom with many scars, and patches of missing fur.

  * _Second;_



**Trickle** \- A slender and well groomed dark gray and black tom with green eyes.

  * _Fighters;_



**Beetle** \- A big thick furred black tom with green eyes.

 **Red** \- A tortoise shell she-cat with an abundance of orange in her pelt.

 **Marrow** \- A pale tom with reddish fur around his face, paws, and tail.

 **Smoke** \- A thick furred gray-black tom with yellow eyes.

 **Lightning** \- A sandy coloured she-cat with yellow eyes.

  * _Queens;_



**Bellamy** \- A cream tabby she-cat with yellow eyes, former kittypet.

 **Twig** \- A skinny dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.

  * _Younglings;_



**Swarm** \- A large mottled gray-brown tom with pale green eyes.

 **Cricket** \- A pale tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

 **Song** \- A small tortoise shell she-cat with amber eyes.

 

_Street Cats;_

**Bundy** \- Huge reddish brown tabby tom with yellow eyes, white chest, and dark near-black markings, former kittypet.

 **Viper** \- Tiny dun coloured she-cat with large green eyes, and peculiar markings above her eyes.

 **Latka** \- An old and withered blue-gray she-cat who is trusted by all for her healing, and twoleg knowledge.

 **Hobble** \- An older black and white tom with three legs, and yellow eyes.

 **Wanderer** \- A pale silver she-cat with amber eyes, and light markings.

 **Harvey** \- A white and ginger thick furred tom with green eyes.

 

 

 

**Prologue**

The cats that were gathered around the underground pool stared into it's glittering depths, as ghostly mutterings were passed between them. A pale dappled she-cat regards the black and white Tom next to her. "What do you expect he's going to propose?" She asks, starlight flickering back onto her ghostly form from the waters. "I don't know, but, if I were to take a guess, it might be something we don't agree with." The tom replies with an almost defeated sigh, as if he knew that trying to argue would be pointless if his guess were to be correct.

"Stormwind, I'm sure he'll have a good reason for whatever he's brought us here for." The she-cat tries to comfort him, offering a small purr of amusement before her ears swivel, hearing the sound of large paws, and the scent of Riverclan approaching.

From the rocky tunnels soon emerged a large tom, with pale fur that turned into a dark, shimmering brown on his face, legs, and tail. His piercing blue eyes peer around at the cats gathered, and he offers a nod to them all. "I'm pleased to see that everyone has come. I must apologize for keeping you all waiting." He meows, before wandering into his place around the underground pool.

"Owlstar, you need to explain yourself. Why have you brought us all here?" One older, dusty gray Windclan she-cat demands, looking cranky as she always had, even in life. Owlstar regards her with a respectful nod, and flicks an ear as he replies. "Yes, in due time, Dewfoot. First, I have something to ask of all of you." He says, his expression shifting to a more grave one as he continues. "I've been getting a sense of growing dread as of late. Have any of you felt the same? Willowpelt, Dewfoot, Yarrowtail, Puddlestep, have you had any visions of danger for the clans?" The leader asks the medicine cats, and Willowpelts tail can't help but flick back and forth anxiously as she sat next to Stormwind.

"Yes, I have." She tells Owlstar, concern present in her mew. "It has been troubling me, as I can't seem to pinpoint what is causing it." The Riverclan she-cat informs.

After a small, grumbling moment of thought, Dewfoot pipes up as well. "I've noticed a strange energy begin to creep up my tail as well. It's a mystery to me what might be causing it."

The other two medicine cats glance at each other, and the other medicine cats with concern before offering their own agreements. "Such a feeling of dread isn't normal. Much less the fact that we don't know what, or who is causing it in the clans." Yarrowtail says, his tortoise shell tail flicking anxiously before he wraps it around his paws.

"Perhaps it is a future threat whose fate isn't set yet?" Puddlestep suggests, which causes a moment of thought among the cats present.

After a small bout of silence, Owlstar speaks up. "I think that might be right, at least, partially. I don't get the feeling that this dread will go anywhere any time soon, but there isn't an imminent danger facing any of the clans." He meows, and others nod and mutter their agreements. Through the small crowd of voices, Dewfoot pipes up once more. "Is that all you wanted us here for, Owlstar?" She asks, tone short.

"No. As strange as it seems, I have found a cat that I believe will help us avoid whatever fate has in store for our clans." Owlstar replies, and as he finishes his statement there's a mixture of complaints, firstly coming from Dewfoot.

"And how are you supposed to know who's going to save them before we even know what's going to happen?" She asks,  Adderstar, a Windclan leader adds. "How do you know this cat will save them? Could they not be the one who is causing these feelings of impending chaos?" He asks, and more meows of agreement come forward.

Barkstar, a Thunderclan leader steps forward, glancing around with piercing amber eyes. "Let us hear what Owlstar has to say about this cat. Show them to us, so that we might try and understand. If they are indeed the one who will cause the clans downfall, surely we will all be able to come to that conclusion after seeing them." He interjects, defending Owlstar from the onslaught, to which the Riverclan leader nods in appreciation. 

Dewfoot is the one to speak for the crowd. "Fine, let us see this cat." She grumbles, muted agreement passing through the crowd.

Owlstar rises to his paws, and turns so that he might wave his tail over the pool, and reveal a small, light coloured kit suckling at its mothers soft belly with her sibling. An air of confusion and skepticism rises from around the pool, and they all take their time to assess this kit.

Willowpelt blinks, and glances at Owlstar in uncertainty. "Owlstar, this cat isn't part of the clans, not even close. How could she be the one to save our kin?"

Owlstars whiskers twitch in understanding. "Yes, she is not part of the clans, but, her kin were once our own. You remember how twolegs once took some of our kind all those moons ago? Two of my own kin were taken, and she is one of their descended." He explains, and more moments of thoughtful mutterings continue. By now the moon was starting to shift, and the time for such meetings was coming to an end.

"Do what you will with this one." Dewfoot scoffs with a lash of her tail. "She isn't a bad seed, but I can't sense much more than a hungry belly from this little scrap." She mutters, getting to her paws before being the first to walk off. 

Adderstar looks after the fellow Windclan cat before he turns to Owlstar. "I must agree with Dewfoot. I don't see the importance or need to bring in an outsider, even if she is related to you. Just don't let it interfere with the rest of our clans." The leader muses, before following the medicine cats leave, and disappearing into the rocky tunnels.

Others shared in the sentiment, some not even bothering to offer a proper goodbye before they left. Eventually Barkstar, Willowpelt, and Stormwind were the last to be with Owlstar by the water. Barkstar had been staring intently at the pool, scrutinizing the image of the pale white kit. Owlstar, having noticed Barkstars intensity, turns to him with a curious tilt of his head. "You haven't said anything, old friend. Do you think I'm wrong to see something in this kit?" He asks in a calm tone. Despite what the other cats had said, he was confident in his decision, and intuition.

Barkstar takes a long breath, sighing before he turns to Owlstar with a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I don't think you're wrong, but, I don't the she alone will be the cat that helps save the clans. Do what you will, my friend. I trust your judgement, even if it is... Unusual." He says with a somewhat amused twitch of his whiskers. He glances at Stormwind, and gestures with his tail for the tom to follow as he too, finally leaves the pool chamber.

Willowpelt looks at the image of the kit in the pool for a moment longer, and then to Owlstar. "So, what do you plan to do?" She asks.

"Nothing yet. The time isn't right. In five moons, I will take action. Until then, we must all keep extra vigilant of the dark forces that are beginning to be felt by us all, and begin planning. " Came the former leaders reply, and Willowpelt nodded. Now it was finally their turn to leave this ancient meeting place, and return to the stars.

 


	2. Strange tidings

  

 

Twoleg monsters were the noises that most often woke Silt in the early morning, their stench wafting through the already musty air. From where she lay curled under a large metal bin, she blinked into the pale light of the morning, before gazing at her mother, Mint, and her brother, Leaf. As she regained her senses from slumber, her muscles ached to stretch, and so, quietly, the young she-cat sneaks out from their cramped sleeping quarters. After arching her back in every way she knew how, she sits, and grooms her face. Mint, and Leaf, weren't too far behind.

"I'm sure glad the cold season's over." Leaf mews, as he shakes out his fur. Mint twitches her whiskers in agreement as she too began to wash her face with a dainty paw. "Agreed. I'm hoping we can find a better place to sleep soon though. Come, kits, it's time to get going." She beckons them with a gentle, and cheery voice.

Without quarrel, the kits diligently follow the she-cat into the maze of pathways that made up most of the world they knew. The cats took care to avoid the pathways of twolegs, especially the ones where their monsters roamed. Food was the current priority, and the kits mother was doing her best to track something down, so her kits might be able to watch, and learn how to catch prey of their own.

"Why can't we keep staying with you when the moon turns full again, mother?" Leaf asks, for probably the third time in the past day.

"Because, Leaf. That is when you must leave for your journey of strength. When you are twelve moons old, you can return, and be welcomed back as a full fighter, that is, unless you make a band of your own." She explains to him, though she avoids mentioning the worst case scenario.

Silt listened quietly, all too aware of the daunting future that lie ahead of them. Mint was speaking lightly of the matter, and always had, but Silt had heard enough rumors from the few other younglings she had met to think differently. It was a serious matter, and despite the she-cats somewhat pleasant attitude, Silt could see the twinge of concern in her mothers eyes.

"If you two are going to take care of each other, you need to learn how to hunt." She then states, and the two kits nod in agreement.

A short while later, Mint stops suddenly, and the two kits follow her lead. Crouched, and ears perked and alert, they listen to the wind, and feel the light vibrations under their paws. The thudding of a tiny heart must have been two dog-lengths away from them, and from the light breeze, and what little could be smelled aside from twoleg rubbish, was rat. Not something entirely appetizing, but the three cats were more than used to taking what they could get. The kits hang back somewhat from their mother so they could observe her properly, despite the urge to try hunting for themselves.

The she-cat was low to the ground, each paw being placed strategically so she might not make any noise. The rat she had in her sights was none the wiser, nibbling at a piece of rubbish while the she-cat drew closer. Though they tried their best to find a good vantage point, it was hard to determine just how far away Mint had gotten from the rat before leaping at it. There was a somewhat noisy struggle before the she-cat landed the finishing blow, and it wasn't long before she was quickly trotting back to her kits with the prey, not wanting to sit around too long. She darts past them, and the kits followed as Mint found a more secure place in the small alcove of a run down twoleg building. After finally setting the rat down, the kits were quick to dig into it.

"So, kits, what did you learn from watching me just now?" She asks as she begin to clean herself up from the kill.

"Step lightly?" Silt meows, tilting her head at her mother before she leans down to take a bite of the rat with her brother. Leaf pops up a moment later, mouth half full as he replies. "Try and get close?"

"Good, good. What else?" She then asks, watching her kits affectionately as they ate, and Leaf was the first to answer this round. "Act fast! It sure made a lot of noise before you killed it." He mews. Mint purrs in amusement. "Yes, and you must be careful of rats, they can give you a nasty bite if you're not careful."

As Silt crunched on a bite of the rat, she pondered another thing she should keep in mind for hunting. After swallowing, she suggests. "Try and stay where the wind is facing you? So the rat can't smell you?"

"Absolutely." Mint agrees. 

While the little family shared the small meal, they continued to discuss hunting. Soon the rat was nothing but bones and scraps too small for them to gnaw off, and so they leave the rest to the crows while they find a nice place to rest, and groom one another. They wander further towards the supposed edge of their bands territory, toward a neutral ground where an abandoned twoleg nest serves as a headquarters for a peculiar she-cat that all the city dwellers in the area were familiar with. As Mint leads Silt and Leaf through the thick, overgrown shrubs of the yard, Silt can already hear her mother offering a mew of greeting, which receives a raspy, but friendly meow in response.

"What a pleasant surprise. Mint, it has been a while, hasn't it?" The old she-cat asks with a thoughtful flick of one ear.

"At least three moons, if I'm not mistaken." Mint replies with her tail curled pleasantly in the air.

Silt and Leaf push through along with their mother, shaking small bits of debris from their fur after they fully reach the open. At the sight of them, the older she-cat mrows curiously, and gets to her bony legs. "And look at these two, certainly getting large." She remarks, as she makes her way over to the younglings.

"Leaf, Silt, you remember Latka? She helped me when you two were little." Mint meows, an affectionate expression on her face as she watched the old she-cat inspect each kit.

"Hmm, yes, they both look strong, and healthy. It's good to see the both of you doing so well. It mustn't be long now before you both head out on your journeys, hm?" Latka blathers, curious and pleased to have some friendly faces in her domain.

"Yep, should only be about a half a moon, now." Leaf replies with a chipper tone, despite his slightly awkward posture. He wasn't exactly used to being prodded by an elder.\

"Mother was just teaching us a little about hunting." Silt then adds with a twitch of her whiskers, which earns an impressed sound from Latka, who looked over knowingly at Mint. "Very good. Your mother is a skilled hunter, so I'm sure you both will do just as well." She mews.

As more pleasant conversation is shared among the cats, they all find comfortable patches of sunlight to rest in, as they groom one another. Mint grooming Latka, as Silt and Leaf groomed one another. When Silt caught glimpses of the she-cat spending time with her mother, she felt it was clear the older cat hadn't had this kind of attention in some time, as her pelt was already looking neater than when the small family had arrived. "Have you seen much of Slug?" Latka asks Mint casually, to which the younger she-cat flicks her tail dismissively. "Not all that much, he's a busy tom, so, I don't suppose I can blame him. He has to spend so much time scouting the borders, and with Ivy still bound to Racer until the new moon arrives..." Her voice trails off, worry present in the shadow of her tone.

"He's a strong cat, I'm sure he will come and see the kits before they set off. As leader, it is his duty." Latka assures Mint, and it causes Silt to wonder why her mother might worry over a tom such as Slug. From the faint memory Silt had of him, he seemed more than capable of taking care of himself, even if he was alone.

She decides to forget about it as she rasps her tongue along her brothers short, smooth fur. Her thoughts switch to envy, as she thinks of how much easier cleaning her pelt would be if it were the same length as his. As useful as it was in the cold, she couldn't count the times she's had to tug twigs, or other debris out of her tail, and flank. As Silts thoughts were consumed by such flights of vanity, Mint had gotten to her feet, and padded over to the kits. In a gentle voice, she mews. "Alright kits, do you think you're ready to try hunting for something yourselves?"

Immediately the kits jump to their paws, mewing in excited agreement at the prospect. Latka offers an amused purr as she wanders near, and tilts her head towards the abandoned twoleg nest. "Your mother knew this place has plenty of mice hiding about. Easy practice for younglings before their journey." She rasps, and Mint nods in agreement. "Exactly. Mice will be safer for a first hunt, but you must promise if you catch something, you give it first to Latka, since she  is letting us hunt here." The she-cat tells her kits. They both agree with bounding eagerness, claws scraping at the dirt beneath their paws before they're lead into the abandoned nest. The dilapidated and worn structure was gloomy, and somewhat dark. It took no time for the cats eyes to adjust, however, and soon Mint was sitting, and wrapping her tail neatly around her paws.

"Alright, kits. Walk silently, kill swiftly." Mint meows to her kits, before dismissing the younglings with a twitch of her whiskers.

Leaf runs off in one direction, and with a bit more of a reserved pace, Silt goes in another. Treading lightly, she keeps her ears pricked, and her nose trained for any sound or smell that might alert her to nearby prey. After a short while of searching, she hears what she's been looking for, in the form of a tiny heartbeat that had to be three dog paces away. Getting as low to the ground as she was able, Silt begins to tiptoe her way closer, eyes wide as she searches for the small creature. When she reaches a corner, she can tell the mouse is nearby, but if she were to check, she risked being seen. It couldn't be that far now, perhaps a dogs pace or less, but was it close enough to attempt a lunge? Silt sat conflicted on the matter before she tensed, the sound of the mouse approaching the corner causing her to freeze, even to the point where she couldn't draw in a breath.

Her claws flex, and she feels her eyes may pop out of her head from how hard she was staring, finally seeing a faint form of movement from the mouses shadow. She was ready to leap at any moment, her entire world now focused on this one moment, with this one piece of prey. Just as she notices the mouse come into full view, she lunges, and pins the mouse to the ground. 

She almost couldn't believe it at first, but soon remembered the advice of 'kill swiftly', as the mouse began making small squeaks of protest, and reminding Silt that time was of the essence. With only some hesitation does she attempt to adjust her hold on the mouse so she could dispatch it, only to have the small creature attempt to escape. It takes some chasing before Silt manages a killing bite, her chest heaving with the effort it had taken to deal with the troublesome prey. With her prize she starts wandering back towards her mother and Latka, pleased to be able to show something for the older she-cat. As she drew nearer, it seemed Leaf had come up empty handed, now sitting tired out near Mint, as she gave his head a few affectionate licks.

Latkas ears perk up and she pleasantly meows. "Very good, very good! Catching a mouse on your first try isn't always so easy, you know." The old she-cat muses to Silt, who delicately delivers the prey to the elders paws. "It got away from me a couple times." Silt admits somewhat bashfully, earning her an approving purr from the elder. "Even better then. Thank you, youngling." Latka meows before she bends over to eat the prey given to her.

After a small rest, the kits are offered to try again, and try they do, for the rest of the evening the two are busy scouring the abandoned nest for mice, and both of them manage to catch one for themselves to eat. Leaf had caught two, and proudly gave the bigger one to Mint, as she hadn't gotten to eat much of the rat she had caught earlier. As the night began to draw close, Latka looks at the family with affection in her deep blue gaze.

"If you like, you can sleep with me here for tonight. Consider it thanks for keeping an old she-cat company." She mews.

Mints ears flick approvingly, and she bows her head to the blue-gray she-cat. "We would appreciate it." She mews. 

"Yea!" Leaf agrees eagerly, though, a yawn follows soon after.

"Thank you, Latka." Silt mews, curling her tail pleasantly at the idea of sleeping away from the noisy twoleg pathways.

The old she-cat lead the family towards a corner of the nest near a smooth, clear wall. Through the dust that covered it, Silt could see the moon, a perfect half of its usual luminescent self. As she curls up with Leaf, and Mint, her thoughts wander towards when she would see it in such a state next, and what it implied. She feels a sense of uneasiness as she rests her tail over her nose, and closes her eyes. Listening to the sounds of her family, and Latka beginning to doze, it isn't long before the kit finds herself drifting off into sleep.

The scent of water is what first fills her senses, and when she opens her eyes, she finds herself falling in the air towards a great mass of water. There was so much of it, it seemed as if there was no land in sight, and fear clutched at Silts heart as she was plunged into the depths. She felt no heat, or cold, but the crushing sense of suffocation fills her body, as she desperately scrambles to try and find the surface.

 As she scrambles, she finally spots the patterns of light that danced over the waters surface, and immediately begins swimming, or at least trying to swim, to the surface. She thrusts her legs with as much energy as she can muster, but the light never gets closer, and as she continues, the sudden smell of twoleg stone begins to waft through her senses. Steadily the water around her was turning to a liquid stone, and driving the sense of fear inside Silt to her very core. More vigorously did she swim, desperate to get to the surface, until the stone waters overtook her, and the liquid that had been choking her before was now a thick, grainy, impassable substance, that left her limbs paralyzed, and unable to set her free.

When she gasped awake from the dream, her fur was on end, and the early signs of dawn were just beginning to show through the smooth, and clear part of the twoleg structure. Heart pounding in her chest still, the kit presses closer to her mother and litter mate for comfort. As she waited, still in shock from what she had just experienced, she slowly began to relax, and think of it more clearly. It was such a strange dream, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She couldn't help but be consumed by the image of the liquid stone, engulfing her before she could escape to the surface.

She knew that surely it was just a dream, and the familiar feeling of Mint and Leaf by her side soon allowed her to relax, and doze off once more. She had a feeling today would be slow, so she would just let her mother, or Leaf wake her up when they did. Thankfully, as sleep took hold of her once more, she was greeted only by the comforting, and familiar darkness of slumber.


End file.
